Colombia's Electoral Body Investigates President Petro's Campaign Spending

Colombia's National Electoral Council (CNE) has opened an investigation into President Gustavo Petro's 2022 election campaign for alleged violations of financing limits. The probe also includes campaign manager Ricardo Roa and others, with accusations of overspending totaling 5.3 billion pesos ($1.27 million).

The National Electoral Council (CNE) of Colombia has launched an inquiry into the 2022 electoral campaign of President Gustavo Petro, focusing on suspected breaches of financing limits. The probe, supported by a majority of the nine magistrates, targets Petro and his campaign manager Ricardo Roa, the current CEO of Ecopetrol, the country's major state-owned energy firm.

The investigation follows President Petro's claims of being targeted by a political conspiracy aiming to oust him via judicial means. After the CNE's announcement, Petro declared on social media, "The coup has begun." Should the probe advance, the lower house of Congress's accusation committee, where Petro maintains a coalition majority, would handle his case.

Ricardo Roa's situation would fall under the scrutiny of the attorney general's office. Allegations indicate that Petro's campaign spending exceeded legal limits by 5.3 billion pesos ($1.27 million), with potential illicit funding from three unions. Additional campaign officials and organizations are implicated, with expenses during initial and subsequent campaign rounds exceeding permissible amounts.